[Apollo 15] THE AWE-INSPIRING LAUNCH OF THE FIRST GREAT VOYAGE OF LUNAR EXPLORATION NASA, 26 Jul...

[Apollo 15] THE AWE-INSPIRING LAUNCH OF THE FIRST GREAT VOYAGE OF LUNAR EXPLORATION NASA, 26 July 1971 Printed 1971. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image S-71-41411]. With 'A Kodak Paper' watermark on the reverse, numbered 'NASA S-71-41411' in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context This striking wide-angle image captures the dawn of a new era in lunar exploration. At 9:34 a.m. EDT on July 26, 1971, the towering 363-foot Apollo 15 rocket (Spacecraft 112/Lunar Module 10/Saturn 510) roared off Pad A, Launch Complex 39. Apollo 15 was the first mission of true scientific exploration, outfitted with extra supplies that allowed extended lunar stays and the most ambitious surface activities yet undertaken. For the first time, astronauts had the freedom to explore for three full days, embarking on moonwalks lasting up to seven hours—the equivalent of a full working day. Even more revolutionary, Apollo 15 carried the first Lunar Rover, a battery-powered vehicle that allowed astronauts to traverse vast distances and even ascend the slopes of lunar mountains. The mission set new standards for human and robotic spaceflight, proving that lunar exploration could go beyond simple landings to in-depth scientific discovery. 'Our destiny, at that time, was to go to the Moon. In fact, probably one of the clearest definitions of an objective or a destiny that mankind has ever experienced has been 'Man, Moon, 1970.' How could it be any clearer than that?' —David Scott (Chaikin, Voices, p. 183) Footnotes: Watch more CLICK HERE : Apollo 15 - In The Mountains Of The Moon (1971) For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing